Axle suspension



2 sheets-sheet i NOV- 5, 1946- J. LEDwlNKA XLE SUSPENSION original Filed sept. 17, 1943 5 INVENIOR v.JosEPH LEDwmKA BY f ATTORNEYv J. LEDWINKA AXLE SUSPENSION Original Filed Sept. 17, 1943 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH LEDWINKA atented Nov. 5, 1946 j erica AXLE SUSPENSION `loseph Ledwinka, `Philadelphia, Pa., assigner :to

The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania @riginal application September 17, 1943, Serial Divided 'and this application September 12, Id, Serial No. 553,69l.

v Clailn. ll

The invention relates to an axle 'suspension especially for rail car trucks, and more particularly for the type of trucks which are mainly composed of high-strength sheet metal parts joined togetherby electric resistance welding.

The features of a truck of the indicated type are more fully disclosed in applicants application Serial No. 502,721, for Railway truck, led September 17, 1943, of which the present application is a division.

An object of the invention isla spring suspension which reduces the unsprung weight and which permits the use of wheels secured'to and rotatable with their axles as well as the use of wheels which are rotatable on stationary axles.

The features of the .invention as well as further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent from ther embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following:

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary horizontal section through a trucknear one of its ends in a plane passing through the axis of the wheel and showing the spring support for one of the axles;

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a section corresponding to part of Figure 1 yet showing a different type of axle and wheel support. A

The truck frame consists mainly of two side frames l interconnected by a pair of transoms l i, part of one side frame and one transom being shown in the drawings. i5 are the axles which carry the wheels IS with brake discs ll.'

Each side frame comprises two vertical plates is which are spaced from each other and provided with outwardly directed flanges 20 along their margins and around an elongated opening 2l in their central portions. Strips 22, 23 and iidsubstantially flat in cross section, are connected, such as by electric welding, to the anges 2t and interconnect the two plates i9 of each frame ill.

The members i9, 22, 23 and 2d form together a system of intercommunicating closed box sectional girders extending nearly throughout the entire'length of the frame I.

At the location of the axles l5, the plates i@ are provided with slots 25 which extend from the underside of the frame upwardly to a point spaced from the upper side of the-frame The plates are interconnected all around said slots by Vertical channel members 26, 2l and upper channel members 28, 29. The channel members arranged on the same side of one slot are fastened bottom-totottom and have their side walls fitted against (Cl. 10S-#241i and secured, such as by spot welding, to the plates i9. The plates i9 and the deep channels 26 are provided along the margins of the slot with narrow i oisets 3d directed outwardly from the interior of the respective side frame. `Cast or forged brackets 3i are attached to the lower portions of the bottom walls of the members Z6, 2l and serve for the attachment of an anchor plate 32 by means of stay bolts and nuts 33. The brackets 3l and the plate 32 are provided with inter-engaging offsets sl.

The ends of the axle l5 are, in Figures 1 and 2, rotatably supported by anti-friction bearings in axle Aboxes 35, These axle boxes are provided with longitudinally and vertically extending extensions or fins 3e and a recess 31 on the top.

Generally U-section springs 38 of rubber or the like have their inner and outer surfaces adhesively connected to an outer channel member 39 and an inner channel member till. The outer member 39 is somewhat longer than the rubber spring 38 and is slipped and ts into the channel 2e so that its upper end rests against the hori' zontal member 29. 'The upper portion of the channel in each member t@ is closed by a weldedin block (il, The axle box :il is secured between and lits with its fins into the channels of the members lll. The upper sides of vthe ns at engage `the under side of the ller pieces or blocks il l. A compression sandwich rubber spring d2 is inserted between the recess 3l of the axle box 35 and the bottom of the horizontal channel member 2s and serves for the final adjustment of the load. The springs 38 are stressed in shear under the load transmitted through them "from the frame it to the axle box 3e. The deflection is in proportion to the thickness of the rubber, and the stress is preferably around 45 pounds per square inch,

It will be noted at this point that in this truck equalizer bars are omitted and that the side frames take their place.

On trucks with equalizer bars, these bars rest on top of the journal boxes and, therefore, have no spring suspension and receive all the shoclrs of the rails, thus increasing the unsprung weight considerably.

Each wheel set with its axle l5 and its axle boxes 35, can easily be removed by simply taking oi the anchor plate 32 and by lifting the frame. Similarly, a new axle may be inserted.

Instead ofthe rotating axle as shown in. Figures 1 and 2, the same frame may be provided, without any alterations, with the axle and wheel unit shown in Figure 3 which comprises the arie contours of which are substantially identical with the contours of the axle box 35 including the provision of ns il.

The springs 38 do not only serve for supporting the frame on the axle but they also transmit stresses in longitudinal and transverse direction so that there is no metal-to-metal connection whatever.

vAll minor shocks are absorbed by the described rubber units and are not transmitted to the frame. At the Sametime, the noises from the rails through axles and wheels are prevented from passing furtir by these units.

Only if excessive shocks have to be transmitted, will the axle box or its lateral anges engage the onset portions 30 of the frame plates ill.

n each sideof the truck between the wheels it and the'transom H is a tubuiartransverse member t0 which extends through openings in the walls I9 and is secured in the latter by metal bushings and a rubber sleeve 6I. The outer metal sleeve $2 is welded into the openings of and forms an additional transverse connection between the plates I9. Lateral movementV of the tube 80 is limited by collars 63, a removable plate Il at one end and a bracket (not shown) at the other end. The tubes 60 carry brake units 69 with cylinder, actuating arms and brake shoes 'il for each wheel. The torsional forces exerted on the brake unit are taken up and the brake is held in place by a torque rod H1 which is inserted by means of rubber cushions l2 between downward extensions or brackets respectively of the brake unit and the transom Il. This brake support forms the subject matter of a copending application Serial No. 694,796 led September 4, 1946, and need not be further described herein.

Each transom H consists of two plates 'l5 which are spaced from each other in the longitudinaldirection of the truck and have their marginal 4 ilangesconnectedtotopandbottomplates n. Theendsoithetransoms II iitintotheopening 2| and are attached to the side frames by means oi.' rivets (not shown) which extend through the overlapping portions oi' the plates Il and 23 and of the plates 15, 16.

Each transom Il carries near each ofits ends a bearing' 89 which supports a head of a swing hanger 93, the shank of which extends through openings in the bearing 89, through of the walls 16 and through the space'between the side walls I5 of the transom il. The head of the hanger 83 is enclosed by a casing il. i

Each pair of links carries in openings of their lower ends a bridging member 84 serving for the support of the bolster (not shown).

The invention is especially designated for high strength construction, preferably of cold rolled stainless sheet steel, the parts of which are welded together by electric spot welding. It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the speciilc embodiment illustrated in the drawings and described hereinbefore but4 that many modiilcations will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modications are intended to be covered by the attached claim.

What is claimed is:

In a truck for railway cars, a frame, an end supporting member for an axle such as an axle box, vertically and longitudinally extending ns or narrow projections extending transverselyto and on each side of the axle in the direction of travel on said end member, members of resilient material such as rubber` provided with a vertical slot each having their outer surfaces and the walls of said slot lined with and adhesivelv attached to U-section metal members, said' ins or projections of the end member fitting into and being held by the metal members lining the slots whereas the outer metal members are supported in'the frame.

JOSEPH LEDWINKA. 

